


Personal Questions

by radpanda



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Eventual Sex, Fluff, Jealousy, M/M, Mutual Pining, My First Work in This Fandom, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-08-20
Packaged: 2019-06-18 01:35:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15474600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/radpanda/pseuds/radpanda
Summary: Just Hank and Connor having some conversations. Connor is adapting to life with emotions and discovering new feelings about his partner in... well, the dpd.Hank/Con drabbles in story form.





	1. Staying

“Lieutenant, may I ask a per-”

“Just fuckin’ ask the question, Connor. You don’t need permission to ask a fuckin’ question every time.” Hank barked, running a calloused hand over his face in an obvious display of irritation. It had been a long, rough day at the precinct due to the aftershock of the revolution. A lot of people were unsure of what to do now that Markus has dealt his hand in successful civil disobedience, and there were few remaining humans in the city after the evacuation.

Connor stared at the older man, who was sitting at the kitchen table with a sweating bottle of beer in his one hand. Hank had just come home and was eager to get a drink in. Connor was grateful the man had at least decided to skip a bar run. 

A small flickering light caught the beady eyes of a Saint Bernard resting against the couch.  
The android’s LED was yellow and spinning constantly nowadays it seemed. Ever since Markus acted as a catalyst to his deviancy, Connor was looking at the world with new eyes; his curiosity never sated. And to think Hank thought him annoying before…

It was clear, right after he snapped irritably, Hank regretted it and gave out a sigh, turning his head to look at Connor. He was proud of him for doing what he thought was the right thing during the tension of the revolution. And Connor seemed genuinely perturbed by something that Hank just didn’t have it in him to discourage him from asking questions. 

“Call me Hank. We aren’t at a crime scene.” Hank muttered, in a lower, softer voice.

“Hank..” The android took a stiff seat on the couch, hands in his lap. He was still unsure of how to act in front of the other in such a casual setting. It looked like he just could never get comfortable.

Hank’s eyebrows furrowed, and his frown tightened as he looked at him.  
“Where’s your question?”

“I… was going to ask if you would allow me to… stay here with you.” Connor placated, treading the topic lightly and safely. He was nervous. This was nervousness.

It took a moment for the words to register in Hank’s buzzed brain, but when they did, he let out a snort, bringing the bottle to his lips.

Confused, Connor watched the man take a gulp of alcohol, utterly perplexed at how such a question would elicit that kind of response; or rather, lack thereof.  
“I’m not sure if I understand what’s so amusing.” He stated hesitantly.

Hank placed the bottle back firmly on the table and shifted in his seat to get a better view of Connor on his couch.  
“Fucks sake, Connor. Why did you think I brought you back here in the first place? Of course you’re not goin’ back to Cyberlife ‘an you got nowhere to go right? You’ve been here for a week now, why don’t you loosen up?”

The yellow LED kept spinning and spinning. Hank could tell Connor was seriously considering something. Something that was most likely stupid and unnecessary. Connor was, after all, awful at being a living thing in these normal settings and still had trouble dismissing all of his machine-esque quirks.

“What’s really wrong, Connor?” Hank asked, sounding defeated. “You know I wouldn’t kick you out into the streets. Not with the city bein’ a shitshow right now.”

Connor turned his attention to Sumo, who was sprawled out close by his feet. He ran his fingers along soft fur. A feeling of comfort arose within him from the action alone.  
“I do not want it to seem as if I am intruding upon you, Lieu- _Hank_ .” He said, just in time to look up and notice Hank’s eyes soften at the correction.

“I have searched all different kinds of family structures. I… don’t know where I fit in but I was hoping-”

“Wait, wait.” Hank said, raising a hand to interrupt with a brow raised. It was his turn to be confused. “Family structures?”

Connor immediately took that sign to elaborate.  
“Yes, well.. I have not made many connections within the precinct or Jericho. Since I am still known as the ‘Deviant Hunter’ to some, I haven’t been able to find other androids that trust me to the extent that Markus does. You are the only attachment I have and the only person I choose to stay with.” 

Taken aback, Hank’s mouth fell open just a little, unable to speak at first. This was getting way too mushy for him, but Connor has always been shameless in what he said or did. 

A little flustered, the lieutenant rubbed the back of his neck with damp fingers.  
“I’m a drunk old man, Connor. What’s the appeal? I’m sure Markus would love to have you there to help him out. There’s still shit to be done about the whole, y’know, getting rights thing.”

“You’re only a sober old man now. And no.” Connor shook his head, a small teasing glint in his eyes, noticing the small effects he gets out of the man. “I may have played a small part, but the politics of this revolution are up to Markus and Jericho. I’d rather stay here with you and Sumo, if that is acceptable.”

“Acceptable? _Of course_ it’s acceptable. Connor…” The lieutenant sighed, dropping his head a little. He knew he came off as a broken man all the time. It wasn’t fair to the boy, who was just getting a feel for his own new emotions. It was so ironic that the guy who didn’t want to live made an android find the will to. In turn, he felt like he had the will to now, as well. 

“Just don’t go body slamming into my windows.”

Connor flashed him a genuine grin, happy enough to slide from his seat on the couch to hover over Sumo and pet him more enthusiastically. It made Hank begin to think Connor was only in it for the dog. Along with the thump of an excited tail on the floor, Connor spoke simply and politely.

“Can’t make any promises, Hank.”


	2. A Suggestion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Really short chapter on the LED that will be brought up later on in the story as well.

“How come you haven’t gotten rid of that thing?” Hank asked one day, out of the blue. They were both sitting on the couch: Hank, with an arm over the back, and Connor, upright but at least relaxed enough to be against the back cushions. They were watching an animal documentary because it amused Hank when Sumo’s ears perked up at wild noises. Sumo eventually lost interest, so Hank found his amusement elsewhere.

When Connor looked over at him questioningly, Hank raised a hand to point to the side of his own head, referring to the android’s LED. Connor mimicked his action and ran his smooth fingers over the spinning light.

“I’ve seen a lot of androids get rid of them. How come you still have yours?”

“Androids remove them because it symbolizes their oppression. I suppose I never really considered taking mine out. It is different for me.”

Hank tilted his head, watching the light stop spinning and change to a stagnant blue.  
“Oh yeah?”

“Yes. It acts as a reminder of who I am. Someone alive but not human.” Connor shared a fond look with Hank. “Do you think I should remove it?”

“No. I mean. Do whatever you wanna do with it.” He shrugged, acting nonchalant. “I kinda like being able to tell if you’re overthinking something. Then again, you always are.”

Hank snickered when he saw Connor’s lips purse into something like a pout; his LED back to a bright spinning yellow. 

“It might help to get rid of it if I am to blend in more with the humans. With my LED still visible, I might be a bigger target for hate groups.” Connor reasoned then, looking up in contemplation.

“True.” Hank gave a nod. “You don’t have to make a decision about it now, ya know. Just think about what _you_ want. Humans always do crazy shit that might kill them just because they wanna do it.”

“Like you always eating hamburgers and raising your cholesterol levels?”

“I mean-”

“Or you drinking liquor until you pass out from-”

“Now, _come on_ ”

“Or you-”

“Okay, shut up.”


	3. Discovering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Connor starts to have self-doubt, and the self-doubt master gets the spray bottle to stop him.

“Chrissakes! Connor! Put some fuckin’ clothes on, will ya!?” Hank shouted, covering his eyes with a hand and turning away. 

He knew something was off when Connor had dismissed himself to _Hank’s_ bedroom after they came home from work together. All Connor had said to him was that he needed to ‘check something’ which made Hank get to thinking that he had a virus or an error or something. There was no reason for the android to be in there since one, he didn’t need to sleep, and two, he wore the same outfit everyday and could self-clean so hygiene wasn’t an issue. 

Seeing the android man standing completely bare in front of his mirror threw Hank off guard. Cyberlife really paid attention to detail: he had caught a glimpse of freckles all along Connor’s back, scattered like a correlation that Hank’s fingers twitched to trace over. 

When he heard no response from Connor, he grew concerned and turned back around.  
“Connor? Everything okay?” 

Hank approached him cautiously, deciding to lay a hand on the android’s shoulder and look at his face through the reflection.

That snapped Connor out of it, although he did not jolt in surprise or fright. His eyes came back into focus and he gazed into the mirror at Hank behind him. He seemed rather melancholy, and that made the older man’s expression crinkle in worry.

“I’m sorry, Hank. I was… lost in thought.” 

“Why the fuck are you naked?” Hank asked, deciding to get to the point. He made sure to lighten the blow of his words with a light voice, trying to raise the android’s spirit a little. He did everything he could to keep his eyes above waist level but it was futile. His blue eyes quickly flicked down to glance at Connor’s _very anatomically correct_ body. He didn’t want to spend even a second thinking about the person who probably stayed late nights designing a dick for an android. Did it even work? Was there even a use for it or was it just for aesthetic purposes?

Hank thankfully got distracted from his thoughts when Connor fixed his stare at himself again, looking troubled with his creased eyebrows and frown.   
“After meeting that model RK900 today I have been feeling… inadequate. I was trying to decide what I should change. I was considering darker hair color-”

Hank looked up from his garbled thoughts in a moment of clarity from Connor’s doubt-filled talk.

“Woah, just- just wait, Connor. Are you upset because that other android looked just like you?”

It took a second to reply.   
“He is a more advanced prototype than I am, and will be a great asset to the precinct.”

“That’s not what I asked. I asked if you were bothered that he shares the same looks as you.” Hank said slowly, eyeing him more curiously than anything. 

“... Yes.” Connor admitted, running a hand over his own torso. “I’m not sure why. There’s no reason for this feeling.”

“Feelings don’t need reasons, Connor.” The man huffed, patting his shoulder before stepping back again to give him space. “But what you’re feeling is self-consciousness. Everyone acts like they wanna fit in with the crowd, but at the same time, they wanna stand out and be unique. It’s shit but it’s a human feeling.”

Connor turned away from the mirror to face him. He thought back to the hundreds of androids he converted from the Cyberlife tower and how they all had the same face and voice and outfit.

“I don’t want to look the same as another android.” He finally said, looking down at his own toes and wiggling them a little to reassure himself that he was in a feeling body. “He’s a better me, Hank. He has more functions, increased accuracy and stamina-”

“Now wait a fuckin’ second!” 

Hank was very menacing when he was angry. The grizzly man was often agitated, tired, or depressed but when he was _angry_ he was impressive, honest, and intimidating. However, Connor could tell Hank’s anger was directed at his words and not at him.

The lieutenant stepped forward and laid his palms on Connor’s pale shoulders, glaring at him head on. 

 

“He’s not you. He acts nothing like you. And who gives a shit about his new fancy tech? You’re still a damn good detective, Connor. You think humans don’t deal with this shit too?” He snorted, before his lips curled into a smirk. “We’re so damn good as a team. How long do you think Reed’s been waiting for a promotion?” 

At the comment about Reed, Connor could not help but smile a little, appreciating Hank’s attempt at easing his mind.

“Now, I am the master of self-deprecation. Don’t be like me.” Hank insisted, raising a hand up to ruffle Connor’s hair. “Besides, that other guy can’t say he woke up an army of androids and aided in the revolution.”

Connor’s smile widened just a little more, and he raised a hand to gently grab onto Hank’s wrist before it pulled away. Hank always knew what to say or do to make Connor feel better. It was a shame Hank’s own self-esteem was not its greatest.   
“Hank… I don’t understand why you would be ‘self-deprecating’. You are a very handsome, skilled man.”

Hank sputtered, a flush settling in over his cheeks, neck, and the shell of his ears. He was not expecting that response, and it was especially effective due to one of them being absolutely and completely nude in the room. 

“Are you alright, Hank? Your heart rate increased to about-”

“Okay, okay! Don’t analyze me!” The older man pulled away, raising his hands slightly as if surrendering. He was clearly disgruntled and embarrassed.

Amused, Connor watched Hank retreat.  
“There is no one like you, Hank. You are full of expression, and your eyes are bright and attractive. You are a talented detective: observant and objective when you need to be...” 

The android stepped forward, but Hank shook his head and reached out to stop him at arm’s length. 

“Enough, Connor… _Shit._ What are you trying to do?” 

“I really like the eccentric things you wear. I like the personality in your taste of music. I like the wrinkles and scars in your skin that show experience…” Connor continued honestly, unashamed of his state of undress even now as he pushed Hank’s arm away without much resistance and got closer. Sometimes Hank hated Connor’s straightforwardness. 

“For the love of… put some goddamn clothes on, Connor!” 

Connor’s voice suddenly projected a little louder over Hank’s grumbling protests.

“I lo-” He stopped, both in movement and speech. It was clear that he was processing the next word; getting a taste for what it meant to him, before he decided: _yes, that must be the closest thing._

Putting a hand to the man’s chest, Connor admired him with sincere, brown eyes. 

“I love you, Hank.”

The elephant in the room was addressed just then and Hank felt defensive. Unprepared for it. He nodded his head with a gentle bob as if accepting the situation, but then huffed out a nervous laugh in a show of weakness.

“Connor,” he said calmly with his lips set in a tight line, almost in warning, “put some clothes on. Now.” 

The older man then moved past the android, heading over to the door. Troubled and alert, Connor turned and followed behind hastily, trying to stop Hank from leaving.

“Hank, I don’t think you heard me correctly.” He spoke, rushed and serious. “I love you. You’re precious to me. I want to be with you romantically. A-and sexually-”

“Enough!” Hank shouted, suddenly up in the other’s face, angry. The man grabbed his arms to keep him still.

“You’re confused! You just developed your emotions and you’re…. _Shit, Connor_ … you’re confused!”

Hank’s denial stung Connor sharply. For the man to tell him what he was feeling was wrong...

“I don’t know what you mean, Hank, I’ve never been more sure in my life!” Connor retaliated, raising his voice to match Hank’s frustration.

Brown eyes searched frantically into orbs of blue. Hank was tempted to bail out of the room and go for a drive, but seeing Connor like this prevented him. The display was more convincing than Sumo when he wanted bacon in the morning. 

Trapped without an answer, Hank broke eye contact to step to the side, letting his arms fall. He walked to his closet, all the while having Connor’s stare on his back, and snatched an old, gray hoodie from a half-broken hanger. He pushed the article of clothing into Connor’s hands.

“This is a conversation for another time.” Was all Hank said, before heading out of the room.

Connor stood there, a little puzzled at the gesture and the words. This meant that Hank was willing to hear him out sometime in the future, just not today. The hoodie clutched in his hands was bare of any lettering, far too big to fit Connor neatly, and smelled like mothballs. It was perfect, and Hank wanted him to wear it. Did Hank want him to _keep it?_

He was often told by Hank to stop analyzing so much and try to enjoy the small things instead. However, it was in Connor’s programming to think of all possible reasons and outcomes in a situation, and going against one’s programming is incredibly difficult to do. Connor always wanted to be prepared for any little thing that could happen, so it was in his nature to think so much.

He had been looking to alter his appearance a little, just to stand apart from the RK900 at the precinct, and perhaps this hoodie was Hank’s way of supporting him. Perhaps it was a signal to tell Connor to find things that make him uniquely _him._ He supposed he could use a new wardrobe. And considering hobbies other than petting and walking Sumo was not a bad idea either.

With a small smile, he lifted the hoodie to his nose and quietly inhaled. This was a piece of Hank that was offered up to him. He will keep it. 

He will wear it tonight.

...preferably with pants so Hank doesn’t get mad at him.


	4. Ladies' Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor gets along with women more than men. Hank doesn't seem too happy about it.

Connor likes women.

Hank notices the android chatting (practically _flirting_ ) with the female officers almost every day. It didn’t matter if they are human or android, Connor likes women. And now, Hank was dreading the moment he and Connor would step into work today. 

There was an unfortunate coffee spill that morning regarding Connor’s RK800 uniform, which by the way, Hank has always told him to get rid of for _pete’s sake;_ that only resulted in Connor asking which Pete at the office he was talking about: Pete Garrett or Pete Daulph, which then prompted Hank to engage in what seemed like a fucking TED talk on figures of speech and idioms so Connor would stop taking everything so literally and at face-value. So far, it had proven unsuccessful due to Connor’s continued misgivings. It was either that or Connor was just fucking with him, which seemed more and more plausible every day. 

Anyway, Hank had accidentally spilled coffee on Connor that morning when Sumo tripped him up in the kitchen. Connor was in the process of pouring dry food into Sumo’s bowl and the dog got so excited, he knocked against Hank’s legs making the man stumble and lose control of the mug in his hand. It was a good thing Connor didn’t feel the burn of it, but his outfit was soiled. Hank had apologized, but the android didn’t seem too upset or bothered by it. 

Turns out, Connor had other clothes, he just preferred to wear the RK800 suit to work. Since that option wasn’t available today, Connor opted to wear a white v-neck shirt (tightly fitted with the sleeves bunched up to reveal his forearms) and blue jeans that hugged his waist and showed off his long legs brilliantly.

They had just gotten to their respectable desks across from one another when Connor’s jacket came off and the ladies’ eyes rose up from their monitors. Hank rolled his eyes when Officer Chen smiled at Connor and gave him a more than pleasant ‘good morning’. Of course, the android smiled back at her and returned her greeting politely. But then he had to look back at her again and comment on her new hairdo. Only Connor would have noticed her bangs parted slightly more off to the side. 

“It’s nice to see you in something other than your usual uniform.” Chen said, turning the conversation around to focus on Connor. She was always good at that; deflecting. She would much rather talk about the piece of eye… plastic… standing in front of her than talk about her own life. It was an excuse that allowed her to rove her eyes over Connor like she was just checking out the new look.

“Thank you.” Connor replied simply, turning to sit at his desk, not expecting Chen to continue the conversation.

“You should wear that kind of clothing more often. Oh!” She snapped her fingers. “You know what would look good on you?”

The two of them then proceeded to talk about different fabrics and brands of clothing. Productive and multitasking, Connor sat and accessed his files by touching his monitor and peeling his synthetic skin back for connection. 

Hank glared between them, having his own files pulled up on his computer but unable to focus on them. Connor had just given a remark that made Chen laugh prettily, lifting a hand up to her face to cover her mouth with the back of her hand. 

She was being so obvious, but she was married and it was just office flirting. Still, it irritated Hank. And it irritated Hank that he was so irritated by it.

Hank was reminded of the time he and Connor were investigating that deviant case at the Eden Club. He had caught the android looking at the _merchandise_ , per se, and it was a strange thing. It was before Connor was a deviant, and still it seemed he held an attraction to other beings. Like when they were at Kamski’s and Connor had told him that he thought Chloe was pretty. Was Connor really interested in women, did he pretend to be, or was it just the aesthetics? To think Cyberlife would go out of its way to program a detective android with sexuality was beyond weird. Was there a point to it?

He shouldn’t be thinking this way. Just because Connor analyzes every speck of dust with his eyes, or makes opinionated comments sometimes does not mean anything serious. He’s a free man now, and his programming doesn’t define him anymore. Hank should be able to respect that Connor wants to expand his view of the world and make more friends. 

How come all of those friends are female, though, and _why_ did it bug him so much?

Connor and Chen had stopped fraternizing soon enough so they could work. The android looked up from his computer to address Hank.  
“Would you like a debriefing on the case we’ve been working on, Lieutenant?”

“No.”

Connor blinked. Usually Hank would agree to that so he would be reminded of what they still had yet to do.

“No?”

“No. While you were chatting it up, I read through it again.” It wasn’t often that Hank could catch Connor off guard, but the more free the android became in his own body, the more mistakes he ended up making. _Ah, humanity._

“Oh.” Connor blinked, his head slightly tilted, before he returned his attention to his monitor.

Since they barely had any leads on this new case (lack of evidence explained as Connor had suspected an android to be the culprit), most of their work schedule involved a lot of paperwork. Hank grew bored quickly, leaving the reports to Connor, and kept an eye on the clock, awaiting break time. It was easy for the android to send them to Fowler, due to having a wifi connection in his head.

“Connor! Oh, and Lieutenant Anderson!” A rookie cop approached their desk right before Hank’s usual lunchtime, stopping the pair before they could get up. She was young looking, brunette hair tied into a messy ponytail. From the blue LED on the side of her head, she was an android hired on after the rights of androids set in. She was expressive, and most likely not an original cop model made by Cyberlife due to the inexperience coming off her in abundance. 

From Connor’s instant recognition of her, Hank concluded they knew each other somehow. 

“It’s good to see you, Ruth. Are you hired onto the force?” 

“Yeah! I just started today. Glad I could catch you before you could slip off.” Ruth said, shaking hands with Connor like humans do.

Impatient and feeling petty, Hank interrupted their reunion.

“Who’s this? Your girlfriend?” 

The bluntness of the question made the air hang heavy afterwards, eliciting a subtle flustered response from Connor. Hank just barely noticed a fair tint of blue rising up in the android’s cheeks. Ruth, however, was completely unaffected.

“Nothing like that, Lieutenant. Ruth is a friend. I met her the other day in the lobby while you and Detective Reed were talking.”

Hank decided not to bring up the fact that the talk with Reed was more of a brawl than an actual talk. He had the written up disciplinary warning to prove it.

“I am a big fan of you two. You really aided Markus’ efforts in the revolution.” Ruth said, giving a small, bashful smile to Connor. “It was really cool seeing you on the news leading those androids to freedom.”

Connor rubbed the back of his neck in a disarmingly human fashion.

“It was the only thing I could do for Markus at the time. And I couldn’t have done it without Hank.” It was a quiet utterance, and Hank was surprised that Connor was being humble and shy for once. Usually Connor took praise smoothly.

“I’m really glad to meet you Lieutenant Anderson. Connor talked about you.” She extended a hand out to Hank as if he had just come into the room and hadn’t been there the whole time.

Hank’s eyebrows raised and he glanced over to Connor as he shook her hand. Connor simply looked off to the side, seemingly embarrassed.

“Oh yeah? What’d he say about me?”

“He told me that you were the one to open his eyes and show him how to be alive.”

Androids really cut to the chase, didn’t they? Hank stared at Ruth, not sure if he heard her right. What she said couldn’t have been right after all. Connor became a deviant when Markus convinced him to. Hank had nothing to do with his free will…

Connor put a hand on the other android’s shoulder then, interrupting. He looked uneasy, like his truth was spoken and couldn’t be unspoken again.

“Ruth. As much as I’d hate to end our talk, I have to inform you that it is the Lieutenant’s lunch break.” 

Hank snorted, knowing an excuse when he heard one. Connor was just uncomfortable and was trying to escape the conversation for whatever reason. Hank would know, he does it all the time. 

With a knowing look, Ruth nodded her head. She could tell she had just shared something private unintentionally.  
“We’ll have to continue this some other time then. See you around, Connor. It was nice meeting you Lieutenant.”

“Yep. Have a good one.” Hank replied back, watching her head down the hall and disappear around the corner. When he looked back at Connor, the android was already walking towards the lobby. 

It was an awkward car ride to Chicken Feed. Connor’s face was turned towards the window beside him as Hank drove. The older man had decided to turn the music up a little more to drown out the conversation they weren’t having. 

It was when Hank was lifting a burger to his mouth that Connor broke the ice between them.

“I-... I _did_ say that to her.” He stuttered a little, his voice rising slightly from a whisper. It was oddly adorable to Hank, but the situation was making him wonder why Connor always chose to talk to him whenever he was about to put something in his mouth.

“Say what? That I opened your eyes?”

“Yes. Every time you and I interact I have programming instability. I believe the start of my deviancy was when I saved a fish at my first mission as a negotiator-”

“You saved a fish? That was it?” Hank asked, raising an eyebrow. He quickly snatched up the opportunity to change the conversation. Connor seemed grateful for it, however.

“It was a dwarf gourami, native to South Asia. It was outside of its tank, which was smashed open due to a struggle. There was something compelling about saving it…” His eyebrows furrowed as he spoke, still troubled by the event. “My priority mission was to save the hostage. I wasted nine seconds that I could have used in collecting evidence. Nevertheless I saved the girl, but to be distracted like that on my first job…”

Their gazes met, Hank’s eyes crinkled in amusement.

“Well, if those nine seconds taught you anything,” the older man’s lips curled up into a small smirk, “it’s that you like animals, Connor.”

Connor blinked, clearly not expecting that comment. Hank’s expressions always took a moment to savor and so he found himself hesitating with a response before giving him a smile in return.

“I guess I do.” The android turned his head to look off to the side in thought, leaving them in comfortable silence this time and letting Hank finish his meal. 

Just as Hank was bunching the empty burger wrapper in his hand, Connor’s LED spun yellow, indicating that he had received a message. Hank recognized the sign, sending Connor an inquisitive look.

“Fowler?”

“No, it’s.. Ruth. She wants to meet with me after work today.”

Hank watched Connor’s micro expressions as he fumbled internally.

“So… she’s asking you out? As in a date?”

“It appears to be.. with romantic intention, yes. She did not want to be so forward with me when you were with us.”

It was unsettling. Connor did not seem too happy about being on the end of someone else’s infatuation for some reason that Hank couldn’t understand. And Hank felt a little bit like… a third wheel now; as if he were in the way.

Obviously Connor should be with a nice android girl that will outlast a human lifespan, give him everything he wants, and be good to him.

_Obviously…_

“I’m not sure what I should do, Hank.” 

“Say yes.There’s nothin’ you could lose, right? Maybe you two’ll make a good match.”

That line didn’t comfort Connor all too much. In fact, it only seemed to give him more doubts; boldly displayed by his face. It didn’t occur to Hank that maybe this wasn’t what Connor wanted. Hank was only trying to distance himself, he knew. He just thought Connor could do so much better than him: a washed out, old drunk.

_‘I love you, Hank.’_

It was still crisp and fresh in his mind. They haven’t talked about that day since it happened. Every time they were alone together and it seemed like Connor was going to say some ‘dumb shit’ and bring it up, Hank would change the subject, ignore, or just casually flee the situation with a lousy excuse. He realized it was hurting Connor’s feelings by the dejected looks the android gave him, but it was better off this way. 

Now, Connor was giving him a similar look, mouth open slightly like he wanted to protest. However, the android decided to give in and reply back to Ruth’s message all the same. 

“Alright. I will be back late tonight, Hank. Don’t forget to eat something substantial for dinner.”

“Okay, _mom._ ”

“And give Sumo the proper amount of pets for me.”

Hank rolled his eyes, grinning a little.   
“Sumo will get all the loving, don’t worry.”

Connor gave a small nod, lips turning up into a soft smile and a faint blue tint appearing on his cheeks.


	5. A Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor goes on a date. Hank gets paranoid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the support! This is not beta'd or proofread that well due to me focusing on an internship and writing a paper at the same time! I appreciate any feedback you may give me and hope you enjoy more of what I wrote! 
> 
> This is just me getting all the feels out of my system, ya know

Ruth came to pick Connor up at the end of the work day, which was earlier than normal due to there being no urgent cases with any leads. 

Instead of leaving right away, Connor fussed over Hank, making sure to list off reminders, even though he would only be gone for a couple of hours. 

“Connor, go. Don’t make the lady wait.” Hank said, sounding slightly exhausted. 

Ruth was by the entrance, patiently standing at the door. Connor slipped his jacket on, buttoning it up neatly, looking over at Hank. The android still seemed unsure about the whole dating thing.

Hank met his eyes.  
“Have a good time, Connor.”

Connor hesitated, biting his bottom lip just a little and _damn_ if Hank wasn’t already starting to regret pushing him into this. 

Finally, with a nod, the android detective headed towards Ruth, giving one last glance back at Hank before departing with the woman. 

The lieutenant, still sitting at his desk, ran a hand down his face and let out a sigh.

“Shit…” 

……………

“I’m really glad you agreed to go out with me. I wasn’t quite sure what you would like to do, so I just figured we’d head to the shops.” Ruth said, as they walked side by side, passing different small businesses and restaurants along the way; some still open due to android employment. Androids didn’t need sleep so they could work later shifts.

The snow was coming down again, landing delicately into their hair and onto their shoulders. No flushes from the cold or shivers of the skin occurring between them. Connor exhaled an unnecessary breath just to witness the air cloud it produced and it made him feel like Hank.

“Sounds good. Thank you for asking me out.” He replied simply and politely, sounding enthused enough to make it convincing. 

Ruth looked at him for a brief moment, as if seeing right through him. She was most likely scanning him.

“So you are part of the new special unit for crimes against androids?” Connor asked, trying his best to stay attentive to her and not worry about Hank back at home. 

At _home…_

“Yeah! Thanks to you, a lot of androids got hired onto the force so we could do our part and try to prevent a lot of human against android violence.”

Connor dipped his head a little.  
“I can’t take much credit for that. Markus is the one who is advocating. He is the one who set it into law.”

“I know some people still call you the Deviant Hunter.” Ruth noted, gaging Connor’s reactions. “But there are a lot of androids that look up to you now.”

Who he used to be not too long ago was a sensitive issue. To be programmed to track down your own kind was awful, especially when you knew that if they were caught, they were going to be deactivated. Essentially _killed._

In some way, he was only trying to preserve his own life, because he would have been deactivated if he failed his missions. He’s died many times, yet he fears death even more so now due to his conscious mind.

“I’m glad to have inspired you.” Connor spoke up, meeting her eyes, “Is that why you asked me out?”

Ruth gave a small smile. It was strange to see another android act so human-like. Connor found it curious that she was so expressive and full of emotion in certain glimpses. Maybe even more so than he was.

“Partly. I want to get to know you better.”

They eventually stopped in front of a small clothing shop because something caught Connor’s eye in the window. 

“Do you want to go in?” Ruth suggested, following Connor’s line of sight.

He nodded, and so they both headed inside to check out the clothing.

Connor moved to the object in the window, brushing his fingers gently over the fabric. It was a scarf; nothing too outstanding or pricey. It was a deep blue color that reminded Connor of Hank’s eyes. 

_This would look good on Hank._ He thought passively. _He gets red easily from the cold. Usually his neck is uncovered…_

“Connor?” 

His head turned to Ruth, who was fixing him with an expression of concern.

“Are you okay?”

Connor blinked his eyes once. Twice.

“I’m fine. Did you need me for something?”

Ruth smiled again, shrugging her shoulders. She must have imitated the action from a human.

“No. But I can buy you that scarf if you want it. Humans buy things for people they like.”

He looked back down at the scarf, shaking his head.  
“This, I will buy myself. But thank you for the offer.” 

She shrugged again, eyes wandering around the store. She spotted something and quickly took his arm in hers, leading him over to glasses on display. He wasn’t used to being touched so casually by anyone who wasn’t Hank. It was strange...

“Try some on?” She suggested, nudging him with her elbow.

Connor’s forehead creased, confused, but he reached for the most generic pair of spectacles at her request.

“There’s no purpose this serves me. My optic units are fully functional..” But, despite his complaints, he slid the pair on and looked at her for her opinion.

Her light brown eyes trailed over his face, analyzing him.  
“You’d look...” She started, considering her words before nodding in affirmation. “You’d look human if you removed your LED.”

He frowned, tilting his head curiously.  
“I haven’t really come to the decision whether to remove it or not. If a situation occurs where I must hide my identity as an android, I wear hats to cover it.”

Self-consciously, he reached up to run his smooth fingers over the light at the side of his head. 

“I _would_ like to blend in a little more.” He admitted. “But I don’t want to lose my sense of self. I like the way I am currently.” _And Hank seems to think so too…_

Ruth gave him a nod in understanding.  
“I get it.” 

“ _You_ sound and act very human, Ruth.”

“I’ve had some practice.” She cracked a grin. “I live with a very supportive, expressive family.”

Connor could not help but smile back at her in return, taking the glasses off. It was nice to see an android’s happiness. Thinking about his own little family, Hank and Sumo, he replied affectionately: “So do I.”

They spent their time walking around the store, pointing out different items and clothing that stood out to them and chatting quietly to each other about simple things. Connor was genuinely enjoying himself. 

It was fun getting to know another android on a personal level. Ruth was kind, smart, and observant; always asking Connor engaging questions about the DPD, the Lieutenant, and his own experiences. When she had brought up interests or hobbies, he reluctantly confessed that he didn’t really have any, and when she persisted, he thought harder about it and told her he liked animals and the occasional coin trick (even though his coin tricks were now more of a boredom saver and a nervous tick). 

Purchasing the scarf at the register, Connor stood alongside of Ruth patiently until the woman let out a small noise as she remembered something.

“You know, I still want to get you something.” She said, eyes trailing back to the glasses that Connor had tried on earlier. She left his side to go get them.

Connor watched her, recalling what she said before about people buying each other gifts. They were both new to ‘dating’ and didn’t know what a date really entailed, so Connor figured she was getting her ideas from popular media like he sometimes did. 

Ruth approached the register again and handed a glasses case over to the cashier. She blinked her eyes, making a payment, and then gave the case off to Connor.

“Wear them. Surprise your family when you get home.” She winked.

“I didn’t get you anything in return.”

“Well, I guess we’ll have to go on a second date then sometime. For now, let’s go explore.” 

……………….

It was the first time in weeks that Hank was alone in his house and he was definitely feeling it. Connor was not usually loud when he was home, but his absence now was piercing. 

Sitting on the couch after a meal he cooked himself, the human sighed and surfed through the channels. Connor would often sit beside him and watch soap operas with him. Hank would just make fun of the shitty acting and Connor would be actively invested in the characters, confused as to why they would make really unwise decisions. The android would even point out discrepancies and continuity errors that no human would have the eye to notice. 

Hank wasn’t stupid. He knew he was feeling lonely. Had been for years before meeting Connor. And sure, Sumo was by his feet, making his toes numb from the weight, but no one was around to tell Hank not to indulge in booze tonight. Or remind him to do the wash. Or encourage him to cook a meal for himself instead of ordering takeout. 

Yet he knew Connor would be disappointed in him if he drank, lazed around, and ate unhealthy things, so he didn’t. After all, he at least had _a little_ self-control and it was only a couple hours without the android around. 

Staring blankly at the screen, he wondered if Connor was having a good time. That’s all that really mattered, and even though he pushed the boy into accepting the date, Connor would have put up more of a fight if he was adverse to the idea. Right?

Hank tipped his head back against the couch and closed his eyes; the tv on low volume serving as background noise to his thoughts. 

What if she made Connor laugh? What if she was bold enough to kiss him? What if she was _using_ him? 

Why did he have to go and shove them at each other? He hardly knew the girl, and now he was worrying whether Connor was okay or not. 

He muttered a soft curse and stood up, heading to the fridge. As he took the bottle out, he pictured Connor’s disappointed face directed at him when he got home and was tempted to put the bottle back. 

Then, he thought about Connor not coming back and staying the night with Ruth. Even Connor not coming back _at all._

“Fuck it.” He groused, making Sumo lift his ears. Hank gingerly popped the cap open and took a swig.

It was early morning when Hank heard keys unlocking the door, but he just couldn’t budge from his spot at the kitchen table; head in arms, stomach pressing against the edge. With a short turn of his head, he watched with blurry eyes as Connor’s slim figure stepped through the door to witness the poor excuse of a man he left behind--

\--for only five hours.


	6. Reconciliation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hank has a weak moment. Connor is there to build him up again temporarily.

Connor was understandably upset. It showed in the tone of his voice when he let out a firm ‘good morning, Hank’, before briskly walking over to the coat hanger and grabbing Sumo’s leash. He had noticed Hank was still very out of it, but had scanned him to see if there were any immediate health risks; which there were none. _And the gun was nowhere to be seen,_ which was a relief.

Connor placed a bag on the coffee table and crouched down, beckoning Sumo over to clip the leash on.

Giving a short groan, Hank made very little progress in getting up, even with the urgency to apologize to Connor before the android could make it out the door with his dog. 

“Connor,” He strained, voice laced with sleep and whiskey breath. Lifting his head was a chore, but when he had done so, he saw the other man had already left.

“Oh, _fuck_ me.” 

His head was throbbing so he went to go grab some aspirin and water, stumbling over a few empty bottles in his way. He didn’t even remember drinking that much, to be honest. Maybe his self-control wasn’t so good after all. Connor had every right to be mad at him. 

Last night he was making extreme excuses to get wasted, he knew. It only took one excuse, and he was especially vulnerable. Lifting his head back, he swallowed a few tablets and sipped from a glass of water to wash them down. 

At least Connor was coming back this time. Unless he had take it upon himself to dognap Sumo. He’d be in better hands anyway.

Settling on the couch, Hank sighed, staring up at the ceiling. Connor had promised he would be back in a couple of hours last night, but he had taken five hours instead. What did two androids do for five hours?! 

Gazing over at the door, Hank contemplated his next moves for when Connor came back. He’d have to apologize, for sure, but Connor wouldn’t be satisfied by just that. He was at a loss for what to do.

……….

“Sumo, no. Put it down.” Connor reprimanded the dog gently. At his name, Sumo looked over at Connor with a dead bird in his mouth, and it dropped out of his loose jowls in a crumpled heap.

“We’ll have to brush your teeth when we get back.” 

Directing Sumo forward with the leash, they continued onward, stopping in a few places so the saint bernard could mark his territory.

Connor was still wearing the glasses that Ruth had bought him last night. Hank had been too drunk to notice them. He was under the impression that Hank was quitting, slowly but surely; it seemed that he was wrong. 

The amount of booze bottles spread out on the floor was devastating to Connor. It showed that Hank had hiding places he wasn’t aware of. The only reason Hank got away with it was because Connor respected his privacy and did not want to overstep his boundaries. The progress that Hank had been making was gone in a second. 

Just the fact that Hank had secret places to stash his alcohol meant that he had been doing this _after_ Connor’s move into his house, and that _hurt._ Instead of talking about it, Hank had decided to hide it away from him. Impressive enough, Hank was good at pretending to be sober when he was actually buzzed, and he slyly asked Connor not to scan him without permission; in which Connor had obediently respected his wishes. 

The fact that Hank had been lying to him made his thirium pump pulsate out of sync, which was strange and unnerving. It was a new feeling, and Connor didn’t like it. 

Yellow LED, he started to think of reasons why Hank was triggered into heavy drinking. Was it because of the date? Perhaps leaving the lieutenant alone was a bad idea and maybe Hank was feeling nostalgic and self-destructive and Connor hadn’t read the signals correctly and…

Connor stopped working and shook his head a little, making Sumo look back at him with a confused head tilt.

“Let’s go home, Sumo.” He said quietly, turning and gently tugging the leash so the big dog would follow. 

……..

Fully dressed now and recovering from a killer hangover, Hank was just about putting the last bottle in a trash bag when Connor stepped through the door.

“Connor I-” “Lieutenant I-”

They both paused, hearing each other speak up at the same time.  
Hank’s eyebrows creased, looking over Connor, noticing his face. 

“You… you’re wearing glasses…”

Connor startled, a faint blue blush on his cheeks.

“I...yes. I am.”

“You look… _good_.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” Connor replied gently, bending down a little to unhook Sumo’s leash, letting the beast barrel through to the kitchen to where Hank stood. “I think we should talk.”

Hank scratched Sumo’s ears in greeting, nodding his head at Connor’s words.  
“Let me get my thing outta the way before yours.” 

Connor stood up straight, taking in the sight of the trash bags Hank had with him.

“I know I fucked up last night.” Hank admitted.

“You did.” Was the automatic response. Hank looked over at Connor slightly disapproving at his straight-forwardness, but deserving of it nonetheless. 

“I… uh.. Cleaned out all the bottles. If you wanna scan around and look, go ahead..” The older man swallowed heavily, holding up a bag to emphasize. “Listen Connor, I’m sorry. I need some help. Years of this… it doesn’t just go away.”

Connor took the cue to scan around the living room briefly, planning to do more later, after they got what they needed off their chests. 

“I understand, Hank.” He said, making the point to approach him in the kitchen. “I didn’t stop to analyze the possibilities of you getting triggered by past-”

“No. That… that didn’t happen this time. I don’t exactly remember what my shitty mindset was last night but all that matters is that it wasn’t fair to you, Connor. I’m sorry.”

The android looked at him carefully for a moment, as if considering his apology, but it didn’t take long for him to move forward and wrap his arms around Hank’s shoulders, hugging him.

Shocked, Hank’s arms encircled his waist in response, not sure what else to do.

“I am only grateful that you are okay, Hank. That’s all I could ever ask for. “ Connor whispered, face buried against Hank’s neck. The lieutenant felt choked up at that all of a sudden.

After a while of standing there and holding each other, Connor pulled away; his glasses were a little out of place and his face reflected a strange sort of exhaustion. Or maybe it was relief?

Without thinking, Hank reached over to adjust the frames onto Connor’s nose.

“Why are you wearing those again?” He asked finally, feeling the fog of tension lifting.

“Ruth thought it would be beneficial for me to try blending in more with humans.”

“Doesn’t the LED defeat the whole purpose?”

Connor looked down at his feet, feeling strangely self-conscious.  
“Yes. That’s… I’m not sure I want to get rid of it.”

“You do you, Connor. Could always wear a beanie if you don’t want to be recognized so easily.” Hank shrugged, tying up one of the filled trash bags.

“That’s true.” The android headed over to scan the kitchen for any beer bottles, impressed at Hank when finding none.

“So, how’d your date go? What’d you end up doing?” Hank pried, feeling guilty again for not asking sooner.

“We went shopping.” Connor said, remembering the fun time he had chatting with Ruth. He pointed to the bag he left earlier on the coffee table. “I got you something.” 

Hank looked at him with a raised brow.  
“You went shopping as your first date? And you got _me_ a gift? Did you get her anything?”

Connor frizzled up at that, slightly embarrassed.  
“Well, no. I do not know her well enough yet. I wasn’t sure what she’d like.” He paused, staring as Hank grabbed the bag to look into it. He spoke up again, his voice firmer.

“Might I remind you that androids before their deviancy would not engage in ‘dating’ behavior and therefore-”

“You got me a scarf?” Hank questioned, pulling the article out and inspecting the soft material of it.

“Y-yes. It plans to get colder and I believe you were in need of a new one.” 

Hank’s lips quirked up.  
“No one’s _in need_ of a scarf, Connor. But I appreciate it, thanks.” 

It was an admittedly good scarf. Hank had to give props to Connor for his good taste. 

Hank walked over to the coat rack to hang the scarf up properly.  
“So you went shopping for… what? Five hours?”

“No.” Connor said nervously. “We walked around Detroit for a bit, visiting different places. She wanted to visit kittens at the local shelter.”

Oh, so Connor cheated on him _and_ Sumo, huh? Wait. No. Connor didn’t cheat. Cheating would imply that he and Hank were…

“After that, Ruth took me to an ice cream parlor. I have discovered a preference for the flavor chocolate.”

It was Hank’s turn to stare at Connor.  
“You _ate_ ice cream? And _tasted_ it?”

Connor smiled at Hank’s amazement.  
“I sampled the flavor. I can only intake liquids in small amounts.”

“Connor.. you know I have to ask..”

“Yes, Hank. I could smell _and taste_ before my deviancy and after. The only difference now is that I find preferences in sights, sounds, and flavors.”

“So all this fuckin’ time you could taste the disgusting shit you put in your mouth at every crime scene?”

Connor smirked, amused at Hank’s put-off expression.  
“Like I said, I could taste and analyze, but I was not emotionally affected by flavors and smells like you are by conditioning or otherwise.”

“Okay. But now that you’ve got… _emotions and shit_ … will you still be putting blood in your mouth?”

Connor tilted his head, frowning a little at that.  
“Yes. The information is useful. I just need to turn off my sensors now whenever I sample evidence.”

“So you can just turn off your taste buds?”

“My sensors, yes.”

Hank narrowed his eyes, looking at Connor with a little envy and a lot of curiosity. So Connor could just stop smelling or tasting at any time he wanted. What interested Hank was something a little more intimate than that, however.

“So what about touch?”

The android was quiet for a moment, LED spinning a vivid yellow, before he stepped closer to Hank, reaching out a hand for the older man.

Hank reluctantly humored him, taking his hand. Connor was colder, but softly buzzing underneath the artificial skin. When he moved his tentative fingers to Connor’s palm, he could feel a light beating of a pulse from the android’s thirium pump. 

“I used to only be able to feel the weight, temperature, or texture of things. Now I feel all of that and _more_. There are certain feelings that come with touching that I have not experienced before. I think I now know what pleasure and pain are. I’m somewhat… frightened of both.” Connor admitted honestly, his fingers rubbing along some calluses on Hank’s hand; something that was nonexistent on his own.

“Androids that were built for the sexual pleasure of humans could simulate pleasure and pain. I was never given the ability due to it being an inconvenience to my purpose. As my software instability rose, however, my sensors became more powerful. I can now feel how a gunshot hurts, I react adversely to freezing temperatures, and I can gain comfort in preferred touches.” He continued, lifting his gaze from their hands to Hank’s face and giving him a smile. 

“Connor, that’s… incredible. You can _feel_.” The older man breathed out, now engaged to the task of running his fingers over Connor’s hand. Connor’s skin was incredibly smooth and soft; very unlike his own. 

The android felt a small sensation shoot up his artificial spine at Hank’s explorative touch.  
“I still have many limitations, but now that there are laws being passed in favor of android rights, there are people working on upgrades to give us what is essentially the ‘human’ experience.”

“So you’re saying you downloaded an app to feel shit?”

“I’m saying-...okay _fine_ , yes.” Connor gave in, and Hank could swear he rolled his eyes a little. 

“What other upgrades are out?” Hank asked, not-so-secretly intrigued. He had realized he was practically holding Connor’s hand and stepped back, letting their arms fall to their sides. Connor didn’t seem to mind, crouching down to pet Sumo instead.

“I can look, if you want to know, Hank.” He said casually. 

“You mean you’re not curious to find out more?”

“I was… excited for the heightened sensitivity upgrade. Nothing else is of interest to me.”

“Nothing?”

Connor shot him a look that could only be described as annoyed.  
“No. I do not wish to feel the lack of control and lightheadedness that comes with the drunken state.” Hank could thank himself for that one. Connor did not want to experience anything involving alcohol or the effects of it.

“Nor do I have the need for functional genitalia exclusive for sexual intimacy.”

That made Hank sputter and stare. It was a good thing he wasn’t drinking anything at the moment or it would have been all over the place. He was sure, when he had seen Connor bare below the waist, that there was an _appendage_ there. Then, what Connor was implying was that his dick was just for appearances?

“That’s-... I-...” The older man started, but Connor was already stood up and heading into the kitchen.

“Did you eat anything last night, Hank?” Although, he knew the answer. The poorly washed dish next to the sink answered for him. Connor was proud to find that there were no pizza boxes or takeout cartons anywhere to be found. 

“Uh, yeah. Cooked a little something before…” _Before giving in and drinking._ That was left unsaid. 

So they were just going to ignore the thing that Connor said? Okay. Hank could deal with the haunting thought that Cyberlife created cocks just for aesthetics later.

Connor gave a soft hum, pleased that Hank at least did something for himself last night. Though, they both knew they should have a long talk about Hank sometime in the near future. Connor felt like he would get a lot of backlash for suggesting professional help. There was a flood of emotion affecting his programming, and all of the missions that Connor now commissioned for himself revolved around Hank at the moment.

“Would you like to watch a movie with me, Hank?” Connor asked, a hopeful inflection in his voice. It was late morning, too early for a movie, but Connor wanted to spend all the time he could with Hank. He had been missing Hank for a whole night. Just a night… and there was an edgy feeling within him that his quick diagnostics refused to pick up.

Perhaps this was a sign of separation anxiety. Making a note to investigate that issue later, he focused on the older man who looked at him with unanswered questions, before nodding softly to his android partner.

“You always pick the girliest shit.” Hank grunted, legs taking him to the couch regardless. 

“Since you are not a fan of the _introspective slice of life_ films I choose for us to view together, I encourage you to choose this time.”

Before Hank could speak up, Connor raised a finger to stop him.

“Please do not recommend The Terminator or I Robot, Hank.”

Hank smirked as Connor settled on the couch beside him. 

“Alright, Connor. I concede. Let’s watch an old favorite of mine.” He used the small remote to pull up the search menu on the tv. 

Typing in the title, it was clear to Connor as the words said ‘The Iron Giant’. 

“Hank.” He said disapprovingly, but a smile tugged his lips when Hank chuckled, their knees bumping each others gently. 

“You’ll like this one, I promise.”


End file.
